Breaking: Gujarat High Court Bar Association Resolves To Abstain From Work

The Gujarat High Court Bar Association has decided to abstain from work in protest against the Supreme Court Collegium's decision to transfer Justice Nikhil S Kariel to the Bihar High Court.

Senior Advocates who had gathered before Chief Justice Arvind Kumar informed the Bench also comprising Justice Ashutosh J. Shastri about the Bar's decision when the Court resumed after the lunch break.

"The Bar has resolved to abstain from work from today. The further meeting is called at 10.30 or 11 am on Monday", the Lawyers informed the Court.

They also said that the Association has decided to "make a representation to the four judges who have gone from Gujarat including Justice Vikram Nath and also make representation to the Chief Justice of India for reconsideration of this".

The Chief Justice replied, "That you can do, but abstaining from the Court would not be in the interest of justice. Just think over it. It is up to you".

It was reported today morning that the Supreme Court Collegium headed by Chief Justice D. Y. Chandrachud has recommended the transfer of Justice Nikhil S Kariel of the Gujarat High Court and Justice A Abhishek Reddy of the Telangana High Court to the Bihar High Court.

Earlier in the day, around 300 lawyers had gathered in the CJ's Courtroom while hearings were going on and had told the Court, "We have come here to mourn the death knell of the independence of Judiciary".

The Chief Justice had agreed to meet the protesting Lawyers at 1.45 pm today.

The Division Bench of the Chief Justice is continuing to hold sitting and matters are being called out though Lawyers are not appearing.

Click here to read/download the Resolution of GHCAA